Game Thread 2022-23 Game #28 - BLAZERS @ SPURS - DECEMBER 14, 2022 - WEDNESDAY - 5:00 PM (PDT) ROOT

Dame is my favorite Blazer ever, but as far as 'Best Blazer Ever'?

Drexler:
- 8 All-Star Appearances
- 1 All-NBA 1st Team
- 2 All-NBA 2nd Team
- 2 All-NBA 3rd Team
- 2 NBA Finals Appearances
- 94 Blazers Playoff Games
- #1 Blazers Career Points (for now)
- #2 Blazers Career Rebounds
- #2 Blazers Career Assists
- #1 Blazers Career Steals
- #7 Blazers Career Blocks
- 1 50-point game as a Blazer

Lillard:
- 6 All-Star Appearances
- 1 All-NBA 1st Team
- 4 All-NBA 2nd Team
- 1 All-NBA 3rd Team
- 61 Blazers Playoff Games
- #2 Blazers Career Points (for now)
- #3 Blazers Career Assists
- #7 Blazers Career Steals
- 14 50-point games as a Blazer

Stats wise, I think Drexler still has the lead as 'Best Blazer Ever'. But Dame is closing fast...

 

We are the best road team in the West, 3rd best in the entire league (only behind Boston and Milwaukee).

 

Ya.... but dame will not go into the HOF in any other jersey.

how's that for data?

clyde can kick rocks. can we please rename the street in front of moda?

 

A lot of teams Doug McDermott at trade deadline. I wonder if the Blazers will be one of those teams?

 

Getting them out of the way. This will complete nearly half of our road games for the season.

 

Yes, it’s common to lose leads in the NBA as teams run hot and cold. But if a team gets “happy” and sloppy and lackadaisical on defense like the Blazers did this game, you’ll lose a lot more than you’re fair share of leads and you’ll never win a title. Championship caliber teams instinctively step on the throat. Run of the mill teams instinctively let up.

 

I think the phrase is "in the NBA everyone makes a run" that's against championship teams and treadmill teams. We didn't give up the lead once we had it established but they did make a run to get it down to a 5 point lead and then we stepped on the throat.

I'm not saying I don't want this team to make changes. I think there needs to be changes in the way we adjust within the game, I think there needs to be changes to the roster and I think there does need to be more consistent effort/killer instinct throughout the game like Dame said the other night. We don't want to be in games where we have to get our hearts broken or break theirs. We want to finish with a big lead like we had tonight and agreeing with you we really want to do the best job we can protecting big leads when we get them and limit the runs that make games close again.

 

Yes!!!!!

 

So what teams are currently doing that? Boston would seem to be a likely candidate but they just gave up a 20-point lead to the Lakers in the 2nd half and fell behind by 13. That was a 33-point swing. They then came back and won. A game of runs for sure

 

This is what I'm saying. Yeah we turned it back on in the 4th and it worked out. But you can never get back the possessions you lost in the 3rd by turnovers or lack of effort on defense. Sometimes you turn it back on and it's not enough and you lose. Turning it back on is low BBIQ. Keeping it on is high BBIQ. I know no team has it 100% on all the time but that's the goal at least.

 

I haven't watched enough teams to know. Every team falters in this respect to some degree but the degree matters. Sometimes you give up a big lead because the other team gets super hot and you get super cold. Last night the Blazers to me got lazy and sloppy. They willingly handed the Spurs about 10 points. We're not good enough talentwise to do that. We need some mental discipline to value every possession on both sides of the ball, even when we're up by 20 and we feel unbeatable.

 

I think that is a valid concern. There are some mental errors that drive me crazy. (i.e not getting a shot off at the end of the 1st half last night while having 6 seconds to do so)

The problem is the way they play this year, they are pushing it a bit more and forcing the action with our forwards. The positive of running and passing more is they are getting more easy shots. However, the downside is they turn the ball over more trying to do so. (i.e more offensive foul calls on the break) I think the good outways the bad. But that doesn't mean they can't clean some of it up.
Nurk needs to stop extending a leg when setting a pick.

 

I agree with you. It all really depends on what people expectations are for an undrafted 2nd year player. I love him!

 

It's amazing watching the same game people can have completely different views of whats going on out there. You sir lost me at "Nurk is fundamentally so sound on defense".

 

It's easy to call it down the middle when you suck. The Spurs broadcasts were notorious for 20 years of being one of the most homer calls in the league. Wow.

 

I asked home about 10 years ago in the back tunnel if his heels were on the line, he smiled and walked off!!!!

 

Bro I'm been googling that phrase for the past 30 minutes.